Are the days of the automobile mechanic done and dusted?
With all the increases in auto technology, you might think that they days of the automobile mechanic will soon be over! Well, maybe in 100 years’ time, vehicles will be self repairing, but for the time being, we still need mechanics to diagnose and repair our vehicles.
It’s not a daft thought however, because if not for the grease on their overalls, often an automobile mechanic could easily be confused with a computer nerd, simply due to all the diagnostics they need to understand. Let’s have a look at some of the ways that technology might make the life of an automobile mechanic easier in the future or alternatively, more complex.
Self-diagnosis: It’s been done with laptops and PCs, where the computer can self-diagnose itself, so why not in cars, van and trucks? If you want to understand more about how this technology could work in the future and how to program computers to self diagnose themselves, check out Raspberry Pi, a tiny programmable computer that sells for around $25 and is designed to help people learn how to program computers.
Aluminium cars: Most vehicles, other than the really luxurious and expensive models, are made from steel, which is strong but very heavy. To make cars just as strong, but lighter on fuel, some manufacturers (Ford in particular) are considering changing to aluminium for their entire range. This means that an automobile mechanic who is experienced fixing steel body cars, will need the tools and the knowledge to fix aluminium cars as well.
Wireless software updates: Sometimes your car’s software is updated during a regular service, but with the increase in technology, there’s the possibility that this can be performed on the fly. These software updates help to increase the car’s performance or correct operating problems and one of Tesla’s new electric cars takes advantage of this new technology. One of the issues with wireless updates, however, is that car owners won’t need to drive to their automobile mechanic as often for updates or performance issues, potentially resulting in lost sales. On the other hand, it’s unlikely that your local mechanic will be out of work any time soon!
For high-tech diagnostics on all vehicle makes and models, call Steve Sorensen Mechanical on 07 3809 2711 or send us an email.
